Hiya Matt

But how rugged is the nexus 7 - that would be my concern , i've looked at the spec and its definatly a good spec. Only concern I would have is the lack of SD slot for storage

Rugged cases look due out in october time. please keep us informed of your experiences

Rich

See I used to be a total smartphone advocate, but now, having won a Zümo 350LM, I'm a convert. I like the fact that it it's what it it's, not a jack of all trades. I like the fact it clips onto it's dedicated mount, turns itself on and is ready to go, I like the fact I can Deedee the display clearly even in bright sunlight, and work it with gloves on.

None of these things can I do with my Samsung Galaxy Note, so whilst I think there may be better maps, better software on Smartphones, what there isn't, is the hardware to match.

I'll still use my phone, especially since I've discovered I can download gpx files and transfer them directly from phone to Garmin which the phone sees as a drive, but for on the bike use I'm a Garmin convert. Would I be if I'd had to pay for it? Well let's just say I would have soldiered on with my phone as £400 is a lot of money to me (and if anyone wants a Zümo 400, complete with disc, cables, mount and box let me know).

Rich

A cheap cable can be attached to the charge port of the Nexus, then a pen drive etc can be attached to extend the memory.

ATM, I use a Garmin 1490 (5" screen) for normal travel on busy roads and a windows tablet with nRoute and Mapsource for an overview and to follow pistes install tracks etc. This works really well and I'm hoping when Windows 8 takes off there will be a good range of windows tablets to choose from.

I'm more thinking of the Nexus as a navigation backup, for entertainment, for planning and very much as an Ebook reader, it's amazing value for money.

IMO android navigation does not beat Garmin.

Gosh, I like my Garmin Streetpilot 7500 with the 7.5" screen so much that I have 2 spares. Yes it does cost $ for things like the best Mexico map and China SD card, but there's always OpenStreetMap for the cost of an SD card.
AFAIK nobody makes a GPS that screen size or bigger, unless one wants to deal with the fragility and size of a laptop.

Charlie

Small sample survey
 

I'm just back from about 3K miles around France (mainly) and rather than staring at other peoples' bikes I have paid more attention to what is fixed in their "cockpits" - my completely un-scientific survey showed that some people are still using GPS, fixed on their handlebars, but are also carrying a smartphone somewhere on the bike, such as in a tankbag.
I talked with a couple of riders - one had both GPS and phone fixed on the bars (with the smartphone in a rigid water-tight case that included a bracket for the handlebars).
In both cases, they were keeping the GPS on the bars - that is what they are used to looking at - but using the smartphone for looking at maps when taking a beer etc etc.

Smart phones are smart and stupid depending on the mapping app you installed. On my KTM I use PN60 Delorme exclusively. It turns on and works flawlessly every time without fail. It sees it all; heavy dust, rain, hail, snow, heat, cold, you name it it works and it gives directions. However it does have a tiny view screen.
When I need to find a gas station or other POI, I use my smart phone with Sygic application. This app runs off the GPS exclusively and no need for phone service. My smart phone stays in a sealed bag in my tank bag to protect it. I would not even consider a Nexus 7 on a bike. The 7 would be a great off road GPS for in-vehicle use. However it's new operating system may not accommodate all the great mapping apps available.

Smartphone Vs GPS
 

Personnaly I would not like to put all my eggs into one basket, A smartphone is for communicating and listening to music. My Iphone eats battery power when running any APP so the phone will die and then you have lost communicatins as well.
Smartphones are not water or dust proof
Smartphones cannot be used with gloves on
Smartphone mapping software is eons behind the GPS companies
Smartphones cannot be easily viewed in bright sunlight
Smartphones are not as accurate as GPS as they track very few satelites
Smartphones require a network connection for the APP to run which can be expensive when travelling through different countries
Smartphones usualy switch off the screens after a preset time to safe battery life so no road map.
Smartphones are not designed for the high frequency vibrations on a bike so it will damage it after a short time.

Keep the GPS seperate to mitigate against breakage, theft, failure, battery life.

I have a Zumo 660 its built to last in all weathers and it works with clear instructions and maps. I have my Iphone linked via bluetooth to the Zumo and then linked to my Interphone F5 headset. This si the best set up you can get its totaly safe and reliable.

You pay your money and throw the dice!!!

Replace the word "Smartphone" with the word "iPhone" and all of the above may be true, but an Android phone doesn't suffer from any of those software shortcomings, wire in a waterproof USB socket to your bike and you can keep it charged. What it can't get round might be some of the hardware problems. That said I ride everywhere with my Galaxy mounted on the bike and it hasn't been shaken apart yet.

As an aside comparing Garmin to Google I notice if I'm using turn by turn navigation and go off route Garmin will recalculate to try to get me back to its initial planned route often wanting me to "perform a U-turn", Google will recalculate the whole route afresh meaning I can generally keep on riding forwards. In one recent instance, missing one turn on the Garmin would have lead me to ride a circle (take the next right, then the next, then the next etc.) of 24 miles to get back to the original route, whereas Google recalculated the whole thing, and told me to take the next left.

Yea! Thanks for that observation Alex - I thought it was just me and how I have my Nuvi 205w set up; I have fiddled with the settings but it continues to do exactly as you describe. On one recent ride in France it appeared to want me to go back to Calais, even though by then I was miles and miles further south. This was quite perplexing at the time - I am used to a Tom Tom that does what I want (and constantly recalculates routes as I deviate, including when the French roads have their own, local, deviations for road works etc). In contrast, the Garmin gave me the impression of "I know best where you want to go (and make a U turn now!!)".
Two other features of the Garmin that I did not like were (this is my first trip using one of these);
It seemed slow to do the calculations compared with my Tom Tom.
Over long route calculations it more or less "gave up" and came up with a message that more information would be provided later. In contrast, the ancient Tom Tom can come up with a route across most of Europe.

I had a really bad experience using my iPhone for navigation.

The main problem was that it overheated in direct sunlight and shut down, over and over again - it was useless. In the end I used some gaffa to make a sun visor/flap for it that I could lift up to check the map - but it was no good solution.

I still have not given up on the idea though. I am trying to gat my hands on the lifeproof protective case which will make it waterproof, and their GoPro adapter mount. The latter has been out of stock for ages - but is the thing that makes the solution attractive. With this I could also use the phone (camera front and back) as an action cam, a GPS, a phone, mp3 player... with several attachments arround the bike.

I am hoping that I can place it behind my black wind deflector to keep it out of the sun when it comes from the front, and my body if it comes from the rear.

If you buy some conductive thread on e-bay and stitch this into the thumb and index finger of your glove, then you should be able to operate it with your gloves on.

http://www.lifeproof.com/themes/site...protection.jpg
http://guide-images.makeprojects.org...qTUgOZ4.medium

http://cache.lifehacker.com/assets/i...09d6d98f96.jpg
http://c9085783.r83.cf2.rackcdn.com/...ing_render.jpg

Now, if you combine this with DeLorme inReach 2 way satellite communicator with GPS - then you can place calls anywhere there is no cell coverage, post to facebook/twitter from anywhere, send sms from anywhere... and send predefined emergency messages from anywhere, use it as a tracker, navigate where there are no roads... Only thing, you can't use it as a modem to surf or send e-mails

http://hotcellularphone.com/wp-conte...iPod-touch.jpg

And, if you combine all of this with a scala rider bluetooth handsfree, then you should have everything covered:
http://images.gizmag.com/hero/scala-rider-g4.jpg

Listen to music on and off the bike
Place calls on and off the bike - even where there is no cell phone coverage
Listen to the radio
Use it as an action camera or regular camera
Enjoy turn by turn sat nav
Enjoy nav off road
When in WiFi range, you can update blog, upload photos, check e-mail, surf the web...
Etc

But as it is bluetooth, you can't operate it all seemlessly at the same time...

Tom Tom app for Android
 

I read a report in some newspaper recently about Tom Tom bringing out an App for Android phones - I can't remember which newspaper unfortunately, but I think it was projected that the UK asking price would be about £30.

I've been reading this report which indicates it will come to the USA market around the end of this month:-
TomTom bringing its navigation app to Android in October, keeping mum on the details -- Engadget
Yep, the mapping will be available on the phone memory so it won't need to be connected to the phone signal in order to navigate.
(the comments attached to this report are somewhat informative and even amusing concerning the enthusiasm for different products).

This continuing discussion reminds me of the arguments about Betamax and VHS recording tapes of many years ago; of course, VHS won the market but they were all superceded by recordable DVDs and, further down the line, digital recording to thumbsticks, cards etc.

You can get the exact same maps and features on a smart phone as you can get on any standalone device.

The standalone device is simpler, and will probably have a longer battery.

I've done a number of tours in the safety of Europe using the following phones. Nokia N80 - Tom Tom / Ovi Maps. ZTE Blade Sygic, HTC Desire S - Sygic, Motorola Defy - Sygic / Google Maps.

I also have a bluetooth GPS receiver. I used this with the Nokia and TomTom and that's been the best combination I found.

The GPS on the Blade was poor in comparison, as was the HTC. The Motorola Defy was actually pretty good.

I've now got a Galaxy S3 and the GPS seems great. If traveling outside Europe (I haven't made it that far yet) I think I'd also take my separate GPS receiver just as a backup.

In response to the post above. The Tom Tom app is now out. It looks good, but after a couple of years without Tom Tom I actually prefer the look of Sygic. The comment on the Tom Tom are mixed. Most people are complaining about the lack of functionality e.g the ability to set custom POI notifications etc.. I think it's too locked down at the moment for any serious traveller.

How many custom routes can you download to your smart phone?

... and how many custom waypoints can you create? all without inernet access.

Pretty much the same as you can on a standalone device without internet access.

You don't need internet access any more than you do on a standalone device. Having Internet access is just an added bonus.

I think with most things in life a standalone is usually better, but when many standalone devices are running the same or very similar software and you've got the back up of hard maps, why bother with the extra device?

Obviously there are some advantages of disadvantages of both e.g a phone is much more desirable and you're more likely to lose it, get drunk and break it, or have it stolen, but it's infinitely more flexible.

I also use my phone with an app called ride logger to track my progress, G-force, and lean angle. Just for fun mind.

I suspect this is a discussion that will go on for many years to come.

I don't think there will ever be true convergence for die-hard adventure travellers.